Which GOP House Candidates Pledged To Ban IVF And Some Birth Control In Texas?

Meet the extremist Republicans who are coming for your IVF, birth control, and all of your reproductive freedom.

If you aren’t yet familiar with the “Abolish Abortion” movement in Texas, it’s time for you to get to know who these people are, what they stand for, and what laws they will try to pass if elected. Despite the name “Abolish Abortion,” this group goes way beyond abortions and classifies a zygote as a “person” at the moment of conception. Because of that classification, they seek to:

• Ban IVF.

• Ban some forms of birth control.

• Implement the death penalty for any woman who has abortion care.

If you missed the leaked video a few months back from a True Texas Project meeting, it’s a must-watch:

Thus far, sixteen Republican candidates for the Texas House have signed the “Abolish Abortion Pledge,” which includes two incumbents. If these people are elected to the Texas House, in the next legislative session, they will file and push for bills that will ban IVF, they will ban some forms of birth control, and they will attempt to make abortion care a capital offense.

Below, I’ll give a breakdown of these Republican candidates and the Democrats running against them. If you live in any of these districts (or even nearby), consider volunteering or donating to the Democrats running against these anti-freedom Republicans.

Who are these candidates?

House District 02 - Brent Money. Yes, that’s his real name, and he’s just as douchy as he sounds. Even though Money signed a pledge agreeing that the state should kill 13-year-old rape victims if they receive abortion care, he tries to present himself as a “Godly” person. According to his website, he’s running for office on his hatred for immigrants and Chinese nationals, his love of the Second Amendment, and a voucher scheme to funnel taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the wealthy.

Unfortunately, this is a highly gerrymandered district in which Republicans gave themselves a +60-point advantage. Despite that, Money does have a Democratic opponent who is working hard to increase voter turnout and sway it left.

Learn more about the Democratic candidate, Kristen Washington, on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

House District 06 - Daniel Alders. This man used to work for Ted Cruz and is running in one of the most racially gerrymandered districts in Texas. His priorities in going to the Texas House will be to attack border communities, participate in political theater, and push for re-segregating Texas schools through the voucher scheme.

Alders is the Republican candidate looking to replace retiring representative Matt Schaefer after his retirement. While this East Texas district was given a +36-point advantage after redistricting, it’s historically been a low-turnout district, which gives the Democratic candidate, Cody Grace, a lot of room to turn out the vote.

You can learn more about Cody Grace on his website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

Further reading:

• Cody Grace For Texas House District 06

House District 07 - Jay Dean. Jay Dean is an incumbent who was first elected in 2016 in yet another highly racially gerrymandered district. Dean’s politics are deplorable, anti-women, anti-equality, pro-fossil fuel, and pro-voter oppression. Plus, here he is, getting handsy with this female co-worker.

How is it that in 2024, there are still men out there who think it’s ok to rub on their female co-worker’s back like that? I don’t know, but it’s weird and creepy.

Dean is very patriarchal, and he thinks he can make laws regarding Texas women’s bodies, which he has no respect for, as he demonstrated by violating Representative Teri Leo-Wilson’s personal bubble.

While Republicans gave themselves a +40-point advantage in this district, this is another area that historically has low voter turnout.

Marlena Cooper is the Democrat running against Dean. You can learn more about her on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

House District 18 - Janis Holt. While the Texas Democratic Party did a fantastic job getting Democrats on the ticket this year, as we have more Democrats running than ever before, unfortunately, HD18 was not a seat they could find a candidate for. This district has a +65-point Republican advantage, so even if there was a Democratic candidate, I’m not sure it would matter so much.

Governor Abbott gave Holt’s campaign $700,000 to oust the Republican incumbent, Representative Ernest Bailes, in exchange for her vote on vouchers, which makes absolutely no sense for this deeply rural district.

Holt is running on a platform of racism, school vouchers, and restricting the liberties of Texas women. While there is also a Libertarian candidate on the ballot in this district, Holt will likely be headed for the Texas House in November.

House District 26 - Matt Morgan. This is not a safe Republican district, so it’s hard to tell you what Matt Morgan thinks by running far to the right. Morgan ousted incumbent Republican Jacey Jetton in the GOP primary earlier this year based on his far-right positions. Morgan is in favor of the voucher scheme, wants to remove political power from communities of color in Texas, and signed the “Abolish Abortion pledge.”

Republicans only gave themselves an +11-point advantage in this district. This means that, with enough money and effort, the Democratic candidate here would have a shot.

Daniel Lee is the Democrat running against Morgan. You can learn more about him from his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

House District 41 - John Guerrera. I wouldn’t worry too much about this candidate in HD41, as it is a blue district currently held by long-time Democratic incumbent Bobby Guerrera. (Yes, they have the same last name.)

John Guerrera ran for HD41 in 2020 and 2022 and lost both times. We should expect him to lose again this year.

You can learn more about the Democratic incumbent, Bobby Guerrera, from his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

House District 53 - Wes Virdell. Wes Virdell’s entire personality is guns. He loves guns, he sleeps with guns, he brings guns to the breakfast table, he always has a gun with him when he goes to work or the store, and he named his dogs Colt and Ruger. Aside from his obsessive love for guns, he’s pro-voucher, anti-freedom for women and migrants, and pro-voter oppression.

Virdell is the Republican candidate who won after the impeachment manager, Republican Andrew Murr, abruptly resigned. This district has a +53-point Republican advantage. However, a solid Democrat has been running and pushing this district left for years.

Democrat Joe Herrera knows that having a Democratic presence is essential for changing minds and bluing a district. You can learn more about him from his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

House District 61 - Keresa Richardson. HD61 is flippable this year. Republicans only gave themselves a +7.8-point advantage when they redrew the maps. However, based on the rapid growth and diversification of Collin County, those margins are likely much smaller now. Knowing how close this district is to flipping and how it continues to move left, Keresa Richardson is running as one of the furthest-right extremists for the Texas House.

Aside from being anti-women’s rights, Richardson also has signed the racist “Contract On Texas” and is pro-vouchers. Her policy positions on fossil fuel and human rights are horrendous.

Democrat Tony Adams is running against Richardson. You can learn more about him on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

House District 62 - Shelly Luther. This is not a joking matter when I tell you this, but unfortunately, Shelly Luther has brain damage and, if elected, will likely be ineffective in the Texas House. Luther has run for office in Texas multiple times, each time funded by Tim Dunn and each time she lost (until this year). A year or two ago, Luther had a stroke. Thank God she has recovered from it, but unfortunately, her faculties are far from what they once were.

While Luther was able to oust Republican incumbent Reggie Smith, it was primarily due to her celebrity status. In her previous political campaigns, she gave many speeches and interviews. This year, while running for HD62, she hasn’t given any. On her Facebook, you can find a clip she did for Brian Harrison’s promo for the “Contract On Texas,” but you can tell that she was struggling to speak, and the video clips after every sentence as if it was cut many, many times.

I feel terrible for her, and obviously, her health problems are very serious, but it makes you wonder why she’s running again. There is an unconfirmed rumor that the stings are being pulled in the background by her far-right husband, but I wondered if it was more about the money and celebrity status.

HD62 is a +53-point Republican district. Will enough GOP voters be concerned about her far-right positions or the state of her mental health to impact that far of a swing? We’ll have to wait and see.

Tiffany Drake is the Democrat running against Luther. You can learn more about her on her website, Instagram, or Facebook.

House District 64 - Andy Hopper. How awful is Andy Hopper? Here is Andy Hopper with his family and acquitted murderer Kyle Rittenhouse:

Hopper ousted the Republican incumbent Lynn Stucky in the primary this year by running on a pro-voucher position. Hopper also signed the “Contract on Texas,” took the “Abolish Abortion Pledge, and is a “Texit” secession guy.

Angela Brewer is the Democrat running against Hopper. You can learn more about her on her Facebook and Instagram.

House District 65 - Mitch Little. Little Mitch was one of Ken Paxton’s impeachment lawyers, and he thought he'd try his hand in politics since he’s got a little name recognition. His policy ideas are just as deplorable as Paxton’s or Andy Hopper’s (above). Little is pro-voucher, pro-secession, anti-liberty, and anti-IVF. He also once tweeted me a picture of a pile of clothes to prove there was “an invasion.”

Immigrants are being raptured, so they must be invading America. 🙄

Republicans only had a +8.3-point advantage when they gerrymandered this map, and since, Denton County has grown by leaps and bounds and become more diverse. Running as an extremist in this district will backfire on Little, and I believe this district can be flipped this year.

Detrick Deburr is the Democrat running against Little. You can learn more about him on his website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Further reading:

• Detrick Deburr For House District 65

House District 76 - Lea Simmons. This is a safe blue district held by Representative Dr. Suleman Lalani. There is no risk of this district flipping red. So, whoever Lea Simmons is, fuck her.

You can support Dr. Lulani or learn more about him on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

House District 82 - Tom Craddick. Representative Tom Craddick is like a tick you can’t shake off, and he’s been around since Methuselah was a boy. Craddick has been in the Texas House since 1969 before man ever stepped on the moon. He’s enriched himself and his family many times over by being deeply entrenched in the fossil fuel industry for decades. A tradition his daughter, Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, has since continued. Although Craddick will turn 81 years old next month, he’s given us little indication he ever plans on retiring.

In the early 2000s, Craddick was the first Republican speaker of the House after Reconstruction. His policies have always been unfavorable, even in the 1960s and 1970s, when some Republicans still held liberal values. Craddick voted in favor of every bad Republican policy in Texas. Now, Craddick wants to ban IVF and birth control.

Steven Schafersman is the Democrat running against Craddick. You can learn more about him on his Facebook page.

House District 91 - David Lowe. As many of you already know, I have a personal beef with David Lowe. Aside from how I feel about him as a person, his policy positions are atrocious. Lowe is running on a platform of taking away as many rights from people as he can, including women, the LGBTQ community, communities of color, and anyone else the Republicans choose to hate.

Unfortunately, Tarrant County Democrats dropped the ball, letting Lowe run unopposed. As a Tarrant County activist, I’m telling you it won’t happen again. Lowe will be headed for the House in January, and I’ll personally work hard to find a solid candidate to run against him in 2026.

House District 119 - Brandon Grable. HD119 is a solid blue district held by Democratic Representative Liz Campos. There is no risk of this district flipping red.

You can support or learn more about Representative Campos on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

House District 147 - Claudio Gutierrez. Thankfully, there is also no risk of HD147 flipping red, as this is a safe blue district where Democrats have a +53-point advantage. Democratic Representative Jolanda Jones holds this district and will remain so.

You can support or learn more about Representative Jones on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In Texas, the fight for women’s rights and bodily autonomy is more urgent than ever.

The candidates who have pledged allegiance to the “Abolish Abortion” movement aren’t just attacking the right to choose; they’re waging a broader war on reproductive freedom, family planning, and even the fundamental dignity of women across the state. These extremists envision a Texas where women’s bodies are controlled by the state, where healthcare decisions are criminalized, and where personal freedoms are stripped away in the name of an oppressive ideology.

But we don’t have to let this dystopian vision become our reality. The power to prevent these anti-freedom Republicans from further stripping away our rights lies in our hands. By voting, volunteering, and supporting the Democratic candidates running against these extremists, we can send a clear message that Texas will not be ruled by those who seek to impose their narrow views on everyone else.

This election isn’t just about individual races; it’s about the future of our state and the protection of our fundamental rights. Now is the time to stand up, speak out, and fight back against those who would turn back the clock on progress. Vote as if your freedom depends on it—because it does.

• August 19: Last day for write-in candidates to declare their candidacy.

• October 7: Last day to register to vote.

• October 21: First day to early vote.

• October 25: Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot.

• November 1: Last day to early vote.

• November 5: Election day!

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